"Again... this sound?"
A low murmur breaks the stillness of night.
Somewhere far beyond the reach of light, a cold forest holds its breath.
Branches twist like bones. Leaves rustle not with wind...but with warning.
The sound of a guqin, distant and broken, plays a melody no one remembers… yet somehow, it's feared .
A group of cloaked figures in black hanfu, golden fire-shaped symbols on their foreheads, stand silently. Their long sleeves sway as the wind pushes against them like unseen hands. The Lanzie cult..known as black gold lans...
Owls cry. Crows laugh.
But none of them dare speak.
And then...
A scream.
Sharp, high-pitched, inhuman.
It cuts through the air like claws scraping against a soul.
One of the men collapses, clutching his ears...blood dripping through his fingers.
"That sound again... it's waking up."
Another steps back, trembling.
"No. Not it... The garden. The one that ranked second... is waking again!"
Eyes widen. Fear sharpens.
"But this time… something's different. This isn't just a curse... it's like it forgot what it was ...so it's growing into something else."
The wind laughs.
Somewhere under the earth, under flesh, under time…
Something that once died is crawling upward again. Not as it was.
And at the center of it...
a boy who should not have survived.
A soul that wasn't supposed to come back.
Not yet strong.
Not yet complete.
But alive.
And growing.
Scene shifts to kirihito..
, he finally reached to the ceremony like after a whole adventure . The boring yet hunting, poor guqin and bamboo flute sound is now fully clear..he looks around ....
finds the place decorated only with some old red fabric , fox masks are hanging at the tree branches , the red almost fading lanterns shifting softly by the cold wind.. the ceremony looked more like a retual to please any devil or someone dangerous. And he wonders who it could be....
he finds no kids around , only old, middle aged humans are here..stops when he sees a huge crowd before him..he hides his face a bit for now..not showing just yet.. some humans are serving someone behind the throne . Kirihito can't see him because that person was facing back . But he could see his long lightly curled silver hair with..white fox ears and..paired tails ?..it's edges was also red .
" is that any..fox yokai ?..2 tailed yokai ?..looks kinda rare..no wonder he's the king for those insects "
Kirihito wonders that silently...
. A middle aged man serves liquor to the other male behind the throne . Kirihito watches A pale , adult looking hand..more adult looking then his own..but not old..reaches his hand gently towards the cup which was made by gold..
" Any middle aged old fox king or something, huh ?..just look how much pride thar furrball have . even drinks gold ? "
Kirihito murmured a bit guffily , hisses lightly , feeling his ego kicking in .. his pride demands that throne..and now he decides not to only kill but steal that throne too ...
he finds dragon fruits beside him at a wooden table , he watches while eating , everyone's attention on that yokai..too busy to see who have came for a deadly visit..
That fox yokai's hand..covered with dark red upper short robe , hugging the inner longer white one ..he takes the cup of liquor , his nails are a bit long , that person nods at the the other male once slowly..almost coldly..the man nervously bows..his heart pounding a bit louder and kirihito could hear it clearly
" what a poor insect ~ your heart is pounding loudly..is it singing for me ?~ hehe ~ ..maybe you're already welcoming me without even knowing..you don't know but your little piece of meat does ."
Kirihito whispers darkly to himself after a light devilish chuckle , his sharp fangs peeking a bit .
The human stands politely behind the king like he'll kill him if he even breaths a little harder or sweats..
. Kirihito's lips parted with thoughtful expression into his hood , lightly bitting lower lip as he can't take it anymore that any other yokai is being treated like that..he craves that treatment so badly..
He also gags lightly with a hiss , his tongue flickering out a bit more..it becomes abnormally paper thin with 2 heads , long like snakes like he got aggressive by those women even more..his hair from behind his ear falls over his covered eyes so he fixes it back quickly yet gently , his hot breath mixing with the cold smoke..
" Yak ! Female insects ! "
He whispers with disgust , he clearly hates women too much.. for any unknown reason..then he let's go s deep sigh of over confidence ,
" it's showing time , you old fox "
He whispers with a dangerous grin , licks clean his lips which is even more red then before because of the dragon fruit juice . then he goes at the back stage without drawing any attention..just yet
Scene shifts to the fox king..he is clearly 500+ but still dangerous , mysterious and beautiful in his own way .
His eyes have golden lenses with sharp pupil as actual fox , eyelasyes are a bit large , looks a bit tired , boring and half laded..like he's silently desperate for something but nothing to do but wait..for the right time...
His eyelids are naturally dark red , have a pair of naturally glittered golden dots at the corner of his eyes..first one big..other one small..
His neck have a strange black mark with red finishing..it's 3 big to small tangled mark touched one place...like symbol of wind..
his crown is different then normal heavy ones..it's a golden ribbon with black outline side by side to the golden side . Have the same mark waped in pure gold with white small Dimond between the 3 tangled parts..looks just as his neck mark . It's between his forehead , attached to the ribbon . 1 black pearl chain is tied at the mark on that golden mark , also a long , smooth piece of silk fabric like thin and long certain around his face...
.both attached at both sides of his ribbon around his forehead , gently touching his half curled white hair .
He's wearing 3 layered hanfu , totally inner one is normal silk white , upper other one is lightly glittering white with larger sleeve like smoke with glitters , the collar is black and last upper one is dark red with the same mark at his neck as embroidery work with golden threats on the silk fabric , that one has short sleeve , up to arm bit lower to the end of shoulders . his waist belt is black with golden pearl used chains..
His Adam's apple bobs as he drinks the liquor with gentle sips , the alcohol burning his throat but it was like a silent comfort for something unknown ...yet something deep..almost too much .
Suddenly..everyone hears a deadly music of guqin and bamboo flute..being played by itself while floating at the air...
A dangerously beautiful voice with hunting lyrics echoes..filling the air..
" You li~t.. your fi~re ~for th~e de~ad ~
B~ut th~ey ca~me for m~e in~stead ~~
Isn't ~ that..sad king ?~~
You pre~yed for mercy ~
But mercy doesn't ~wear skin ~
I ~ we~ar eye~s ~ of so~ul~
Won't ~you.. wel~come th~is new.. s~in ? ~ "
It was kirihito..he spins for the dance moves..he's not wearing his hood anymore , his really long black hair and white yokata floating freely with his moves .a flash tearing sound echoes the air with the music and kirihito's voice ..a woman from the stage screams..her heard gets tear off from her neck.. then it was thrown so hard like sind slapped.. it hits at a tree with a loud thud , it's nose and teeth breaks by the deadly force..
" N..no holy shit ! That..that woman was about to die today..right after 10 minutes ! And now killed in that way it shouldn't..now her soul can't be taken for her to heal !.. it's useless now..! Who the heck dared to ruin my retual ?! "
The king screams in his mind ,also feeling strange mix of thrill , surprise and amazement because kirihito was literally singing like talking to him directly yet he doesn't understands anything but he only knows he's burning inside with old and new heaviness...
his eyes wide as he stares at the broken head of the women , his breath a bit heavy with anger and lose , his hands balling , long nails digging into his plams . He gasps softly when he hears more women screaming like their lung will come out .
He sharply turns at the stage , his royal ribbon's black pearls echoes softly by his movement his pair of fox tail silently trembling , the right one waping around his waist .
Kirihito on the other hand keeps singing , dancing , torturing the women who were now obsessed with him ,
" Your cro~wn gro~ws go~ld ~
But go~ld me~lts~ fas~ter th~en~..blo~od bur~ns~~ "
He lifts a hand , the garden stirs behind his back..somewhere unknown by everyone..and unseen by the nature..then he spins and more heads of women tears off by the way he's driving the wind like sword
" AHHH NO !!! PLEASE HAVE SOME MERCY !! "
" NO ! "
LET US GO !!
Women screams in fear at the stage .
" kyoren Sama !! That strange yokai is going to kill everyone !! "
The most trusted another normal fox cries out beside king kyoren , pointing at the stage with his wide gray eyes , his grey tail waping around himself with discomfort
King kyoren's heart skipped a beat as soon as the vibe of the whole ceremony from silent , to panicked peas , his eyes gets widen when he sees kirihito..he feels something is totally wrong..too much wrong..he could feel just by his moves..but he's surprised that he can't feel his curse energy...that was strange..because no yokai could mute their curse energy..he could sense it even more sharply..but he can't sense..not atlist him..
He feels his pulse racing silently..his own heart pounding into his ears.. he felt that 2nd time which strangely moved him and he doesn't knows why..
" that yokai..is totally different..unknown and..hard to understand..what's his..name ?his name clearly isn't present at my yokai board list "
Kirihito's moves..almost..too much intimate without even trying ..and the way women were drinking his appereance like they'll eat him alive because of over desire . He gets more surprised when the other males also stares at him that way..also..everyone's eyes turned into pitch black . He wonders ,
" why that yokai only manipulating.. humans..not us ? For fun or something ? "
One human male who wasn't standing too far whispers with desire..he's also hypnotized,
" look at his hips..so perfect.totally breedable...more then any woman..how can a male be so..strangely beautiful..and arousing ?? I want to bite there...and also suck his-- "
" shit up ! You shameless man ! Even pigs have shame but you don't have it !! "
Kyoren screams out with wide eyes , cheeks red with anger.. and also maybe.. embarrassed ? He slaps hard to the man by the back of his hand , hard enough to leave a hand print there with straight cuts of his nails . The man collapses at the ground but it was like his body didn't even payed attention to his slap , that man still watching kirihito with those eyes , murmuring..
" ganna fuck you so hard..really hard..too hard and deep.."
The air suddenly got heavy with the mixed scent of arouse and.. heavy breath, moaning and gasping..all are thusty for kirihito .
Kyoren breaths hard ,he wants to tear off those eyes eyes , cut that tongue and feed it to that same guy .
" kyoren Sama , cool down please . "
The trusted fox yokai guard says , his voice worried and also gentle , his gray hair falling over his shoulder, lightly touching his golden robe . He tries to cool him down by squeezing his shoulder a bit but he doesn't stops .
" No , Yurui ! My heard is hot As fire right now ! and ears feels like it'll come out from my head because of those disgusting words !! "
Yurei bites his lower lip in confusion for not being able to cool down him. Kyoren moves away from yurei , trying not to look at kirihito or hear those disgusting murmurs around him . The whole situation was a strange mix of arouse , tension , hunting , unexpected and also awkward in a weirdly awkward way kyoren , Yurui or other yokais doesn't understands .
Kyoren feels really uncomfortable , angry , confused and shocked at the same time . He really hetes hearing those..he hates making his eyes and ears unholy..and hearing those about kirihito..the unknown strange yokai who ruined his ceremony and the souls he was collecting for serious purpose was also ruined..yet he still felt too disgused that everyone commenting about him so sexually .
. He grabs that man's head by his hair roughly and throws on the floor , he immediately dies . Yurui opens his mouth to say something then closes again , knowing nothing is going to work right now , he's damn angry . Yurei twitches his eyelids , bitting lower lip with a light hiss as he watches how literally kyoren kills that human like killing ants . It was hauntingly funny to watch for him .
One women's voice changes into obsessed hypnotized and hauntingly controlled tone
" But..he's too much beautiful..I want to touch him..I want him inside me !! "
Then the women screams out in dangerous desperation when other women looks at kirihito with lustful eyes ,
" THAT MAN IS MINE !!! HE'LL FUCK ONLY ME !! HIS EVERYTHING IS MINE ! ONLY MINE ! "
Kirihito just chuckled and wonders while dancing , he's loving the way everything is at under his control .
" hah , lustful insects..how badly drowning by me ~ "
Kirihito finishes his performance by the last notes of his song like trading kyoren for the last time..for now ,
A~sk the fo~re~st ...
It'll ..ans~wer you~
" I don't need a name ~ [ desperate type of whisper ]
I need~ your ~silence ~
And ~.. some~one to scr~eam into it ~ "
The music suddenly stops , kirihito slowly lowers his hand , his face hidden into his like black hair , silver stands shinning faintly under moonlight . Suddenly all the heads of human tears off by themselves, everyone dies like bugs..except kyoren and his fellow yokais . Yurui swallowed hard besiege him , so as others .
" AH..shit now he killed all ?! "
Kyoren screams into his mind again , he can't believe this much things happened before him .
Kirito smirks at kyoren , licks blood clean from his lips slowly....
[ end of Chapter 01 ]